‘Innovation requires a willingness to push beyond existing boundaries.’

Sustainability and performance are driving innovation in the beverage industry

Henry Ford once said, ‘If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.’ With the beverage and liquid food industry in mind, how would you have answered Henry Ford?

José Priante

Just as Henry Ford changed mobility by going beyond ‘faster horses,’ innovation in the beverage and liquid food industry also requires more than just incremental improvements to meet the evolving needs of manufacturers. It requires a deep understanding of their real challenges and daily workflows – combined with a willingness to push existing boundaries. Take our latest laser solution for PET bottle blowing, for example. It overcomes the limitations of traditional halogen-based heating technology and enables customers to reduce packaging material without compromising functionality.

At the same time, it improves plant efficiency and increases productivity. So it's not just an upgrade, but a fundamental improvement that has emerged from an understanding of manufacturers' challenges and opens up new opportunities for the industry.

What are the current global and regional drivers of innovation?

José Priante

Sustainability and performance are the most important ‘megatrends’ driving our innovations. Sidel's approach supports responsible behaviour throughout the entire supply chain with high-performance solutions in the areas of packaging design, production and services.

Ultimately, however, it is our customers who are our greatest driver of innovation. They are striving for greater flexibility to manage a growing product portfolio and for smarter machines and systems that simplify operations or enable full automation. These are precisely the forces behind the innovations we will be showcasing at drinktec.

Very few innovations just happen. They have to be brought about deliberately. How does this process work at Sidel?

Mattia Cenci

Innovation is certainly at the heart of our DNA and corporate culture. But it is also driven by a conscious and structured process.

In forums and open exchanges, with cross-functional and cross-regional collaboration, we adopt a ‘market-to-market’ approach to innovation. This approach starts with a deep understanding of our customers' needs and delivers new solutions tailored to those needs. We also work closely with other technology leaders, universities and start-ups to accelerate innovation and development.

But innovations don't just have to work in simulations or laboratories; they have to be better than the status quo in real-world production every day. How do you manage this balancing act between theory and practice?

Mattia Cenci

The real-world performance of every innovation is our main focus throughout the entire innovation process – from conception and design to development and testing. We draw on extensive expertise and field data to ensure that theory and practice are aligned. As a result, when an innovation is tested, it has already achieved an effective balance between technical design and actual application. Last but not least, practical application is a central cornerstone of our innovation process. We work directly with our customers to validate or expand our solutions under real-world conditions. These extensive tests and use in the customer's plant ensure that the technology is field-proven and performance-optimised – added value without risk.

Your customer base ranges from regional producers to global corporations. How does this diversity influence the path from an innovative idea to a finished product?

Mattia Cenci

Our diverse customer base and their varying needs constantly deepen our insights and broaden the spectrum of challenges we address through innovation. While global factors such as sustainability and improved performance remain constant, the specific challenges and solutions vary depending on the market and segment. Our ability to develop solutions is based on our many years of experience with a wide range of customers and enables us to deliver agile, flexible innovations that evolve with changing requirements.

As a result, Sidel is not only known for its PET container technologies, but also for its high-quality, high-performance solutions for can and glass packaging. Sustainability remains one of the most important global drivers, which is reflected in innovations such as our Hydra ultrasonic bottle cleaning machine and advanced handling and palletising technology.

We live in an increasingly virtual world. In this environment, how important are ‘analogue’ trade fairs such as drinktec as a platform for innovation?

Mattia Cenci

‘Analogue’ trade fairs such as drinktec complement the increasingly virtual world in which we live. For example, drinktec is a playground for new innovations, bringing together a large number of experts in one place: manufacturers, suppliers and users alike. Real innovation is only possible when all sides work together. And the ‘analogue’ contacts and interactions at drinktec accelerate progress and shape new solutions for the industry.

The next drinktec will take place in 2028, thus aligning itself with the innovation cycles in companies. Does this development also correspond to Sidel's experience?

Mattia Cenci

As the pace of change accelerates, we are naturally looking for the best rhythm that balances the speed of market introduction with added value for the customer. From this perspective, a drinktec in 2028 is entirely in line with our thinking.

The key themes at this year's drinktec are Circularity & Resource Management, Data2Value and Lifestyle & Health. Will these keywords also feature in your trade fair presentation?

José Priante

Yes, we will be showcasing all three at our stand. The principle of circularity & resource management is fully implemented in our NeXt line at drinktec, and in innovations for can and glass lines such as our EvoFill Can Compact or our new Swing Evo pasteuriser with a unique optimised thermal process. We will be exhibiting solutions for recycling, reducing and reusing, compliance with PPWR regulations and facilitating the introduction of recycled PET, reusable systems, new possibilities for reducing the weight of PET containers with our laser technology for blowing, paper-based secondary packaging, and much more.

In the Data2Value area, we will show some practical examples of how data creates added value in packaging development, production and performance assurance. An interactive service demo will illustrate how Sidel proactively identifies potential problems, alerts operators before downtime occurs and delivers targeted solutions to maintain production efficiency.

And in the Lifestyle & Health section, we will be presenting our latest aseptic technology, which meets consumer demand for high-quality, healthy beverages and increased product flexibility. We will also be showcasing interesting ways to reduce packaging weight without compromising performance. These include ‘invisible weight reduction’ for premium liquid food and beverages, as well as weight reduction for PET containers in areas that were previously off limits.

What specific innovations will Sidel be presenting to the global trade audience at drinktec 2025?

José Priante

We will be presenting innovations at every stage of the product life cycle: from packaging design itself to production and life cycle services. At every step, we will showcase developments that take performance to a new level – in terms of sustainability, efficiency, quality, flexibility and simplicity.

In addition to the innovations mentioned under the three key themes, these include the new Hydra Ultrasonic bottle cleaning machine, which delivers the required cleaning results with significantly reduced water and chemical consumption, the CoboREEL robot, which automates label reel changes during labelling, increases efficiency, ensures 100% accuracy and boosts profitability with its 18-roll capacity, our partial label using less material with the same application technology as traditional labels, and Aseptic X4, an integrated blow-fill-cap solution for PET bottles with advanced Predis™ dry preform sterilisation for greater safety and sustainability.